


i'm not your damsel

by killerrqueer



Series: riverdale [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Riverdale, cheroni, cheryl blossom - Freeform, choni, choni is endgame, riverdale 2x17 predictions, toni is pure, toni topaz - Freeform, triggers: conversion therapy, veronica is bi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 16:20:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14084826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killerrqueer/pseuds/killerrqueer
Summary: or, the one where cheryl disappears and toni gets worried.aka my predictions for 2x17.





	i'm not your damsel

Toni was happy- unbearably happy, in fact. The most happy she had been in a while. She had finally gotten the beautiful, mysterious it-girl Cheryl Blossom to open up to her, and it turned out she was harboring a lot of pain. Toni felt awful for her, but she was excited to help her, to be her friend and- based on how Cheryl had acted at the sleepover- maybe even more.

She hadn’t seen C in the halls for a while, though. Hopefully she wasn’t avoiding her. After school that day, Toni walked up to Thistlehouse and rapped on the door, which her mother answered almost immediately. Penelope Blossom was a terrifying woman, barely taller than Toni herself but with a sort of air that made her seem to tower over anyone who defied her. Toni was apparently included in that, for when she saw the Southsider at the door, she drew herself up with a haughty sniff.

“Hi,” Toni stuttered meekly. “Could I see Cheryl?”

“Cheryl’s not here,” she responded with a sort of relish. “Boarding school in Switzerland.”

Toni’s brow furrowed. “But that doesn’t make any se-”

“Goodbye,” Penelope cut her off, slamming the door closed right in her face.

Toni stood blinking at the closed door, then turned around and walked back down the path, shoving her hands in her pockets to keep them from shaking. “This doesn’t seem right,” she muttered to herself. Cheryl would have at least said goodbye if she was being shipped off. Or maybe she had been sent away before she could find Toni? Either way, she had a strong suspicion that wherever her friend was, it wasn’t Switzerland. She tried calling Cheryl’s cell phone a few times, but it went straight to voicemail. 

Toni huffed in exasperation. She wasn’t going down without a fight. All she needed to do was call in the cavalry.

She walked back to Riverdale High, where she knew that Veronica Lodge would probably be, slaving away on her campaign for Student Body President. Sure enough, the dark-haired girl was hard at work in the student lounge, collapsed in a desk chair and poring over some posters, while Archie Andrews, her new VP, was standing by her side, scribbling hurriedly in a notebook. Veronica looked up as Toni strode in.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Toni Topaz,” Veronica said, surprise showing on her face. “What brings you here?”

“You’re friends with Cheryl, right?”

Archie looked up from his notebook. “You could say that.” He shot a sideways glance at Veronica, then looked at Toni. “What’s going on?”

“I’m afraid something happened to her.” Toni twisted her hands together. “She’s not at her house, and she won’t pick up her phone. Her mom said she's at a boarding school in Switzerland, but for some reason I don't really believe her.” 

Veronica frowned. “Hmm, strange. I didn’t see her at school today either.” She shrugged. “Her mother was probably telling the truth. No big deal.” She turned abruptly back to her work, but Archie elbowed her.

“Ronnie,” he hissed. “Our friend’s missing, so it is a big deal. And plus, when has Penelope Blossom ever told the truth?”

“Wait. Good point.” Veronica pursed her lips. “And she did say that thing about being scared of her mother at the Vixens sleepover.” She looked back over at Toni. “But you seem like you have an idea of what happened, or else you wouldn’t be so frantic.”

“Unfortunately, I do.” Toni pulled up a chair and sat down.

“Jeez, make yourself comfortable,” mumbled Veronica. Archie elbowed her again. “Ow! Sorry.”

“What Veronica is trying to say is, what’s your idea?” Archie said, lounging on the arm of Veronica’s chair.

Toni leaned forward, steepling her fingers, and the other two mirrored her. “I think her mom may have sent her to conversion therapy,” she said quietly.

Veronica’s eyebrows jumped up her forehead in shock, but Archie’s nose wrinkled in confusion. “What’s conversion therapy?” he asked.

“It’s basically legal torture,” explained Veronica gravely. “It’s a place to send LGBT kids, and they… do bad stuff to them. They shock them, literally, with electricity, and hurt them and treat them like experiments- it’s one of the biggest causes of teen suicide in the country. All in the name of scaring the gay out of them.” She rubbed her temples. “I’ve had some encounters with it. It’s- it’s not nice.” She shuddered, and Archie put a hand on her knee in comfort.

“It sounds like something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and I know how much you care about her, Toni, so…” Archie nodded decisively. “Yeah. Let’s bust her out. Ronnie?”

“One hundred percent, I’m with you.” Veronica made a power fist. “Stick it to the homophobes.”

Toni smiled slightly. “Cool. Thanks, guys.”

Veronica leaned forward and clapped a hand on her shoulder. “For a fellow Vixen? Absolutely.” She winked. “Arch, can you start running a search on conversion camps around Riverdale?”

“On it!” Archie hopped up and grabbed a laptop. He began to type furiously, the tip of his tongue poking through his teeth in concentration. 

Veronica grabbed Archie’s notepad and pen and flipped to a clean page. “Okay, we need names, addresses, and phone numbers.” She put the end of the pen in her mouth and spun the desk chair around once. 

Toni stood up and paced back and forth. “Let’s make it snappy, guys. C’s already been there for at least a week now, and every minute we wait is another minute that she’s stuck in one of those evil places.”

“Hold onto your panties, Snake Girl,” mumbled Archie, still typing. Now it was Veronica’s turn to smack him. Archie gasped loudly.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Veronica held up her hands in surrender.

“No, that’s not it.” Archie pointed at the screen. “I don’t believe it. There’s only one clinic that’s within a day’s drive from here. And I know the place.”

Veronica made an impatient gesture. “Spit it out, Arch.”

He looked up, eyes round. “It’s called Sisters of Quiet Mercy.”

“Hey, that’s where they took Betty’s sister.” Veronica wrote the name on the notepad.

“Yeah, duh, that’s how I know it.” Archie listed off the phone number and address. “That’s not a great place, even when you’re not being tortured,” he said bluntly. Toni blanched. “Sorry,” Archie winced.

“It’s okay. We’re all on edge.” Toni pulled out her phone. “I’m gonna call them.”

“Toni, no!-” cried Veronica, but the line was already ringing. 

“Sisters of Quiet Mercy, how may we assist you?”

“Yes, hello,” Toni said in what she thought was a passable approximation of Penelope Blossom’s haughty voice. Judging by Veronica’s jaw drop and Archie’s disbelieving laugh, it was pretty good. “I was just wondering how my daughter is taking to the program.”

There was silence for a moment, and Toni was scared she had screwed it up, but then the person on the other end answered. “Yes, she seems to be breaking down easily, Mrs. Blossom,” she said. “Just a little bit ago, she was crying in her sleep the whole night, but she isn’t fighting the treatments in the day.” Toni fought the urge to vomit.

“Well, I shall be sending a few of my little minions to check up on her. You should do whatever they ask, or your next payment will be… severely detrimented.”

“Yes, Mrs. Blossom. I will inform Sister Whitehouse,” the woman quavered. “When will they arrive?”

“Very soon,” Toni said mysteriously. “When you least expect it.” She hung up without saying goodbye.

“Toni, that was incredible!” Archie exclaimed. “They totally bought it.”

“Nice one, Southsider,” said Veronica, grinning slightly. “Now, shall we go and get our friend?”

“Can’t be soon enough,” Toni said angrily. “Those awful bastards.” She ran out the door, slamming it behind her. Veronica and Archie exchanged a look and followed her, Archie grabbing the notepad on the way out.

Veronica paid for their bus tickets and they boarded. The ride was two hours, and Toni couldn’t sit still the whole time. All she could think of was whatever horrible thing they were doing to her friend at that moment. would they shock her? Shoot her up with some sort of serum? Torture her psychologically until she finally said ”I like boys”? Toni shook the thoughts away; none of it would help Cheryl. She had to plan.

When they arrived, Toni had to control her movements so she seemed indifferent, and the three girls walked into the lobby.

“Hello, children,” said the lady behind the desk. She was wearing a nun’s outfit. “I assume you’re from Penelope Blossom?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Veronica said sweetly.

“Right this way.” The lady gestured down the hall, and the three girls followed her. They stopped at a metal door with a small paper card on it that read C. Blossom. Toni’s breath hitched as the woman pushed the door open with a creak. “Cheryl, darling,” the nun called. “I have some visitors for you, from your mother.” It made Toni sick that this woman could be a part of the evil that went on in this place and still have the nerve to call Cheryl ‘darling’.

The girls walked into a room, and Toni made a noise that was more animal than human. Cheryl was huddled as far back against the headboard of her bed as she could manage, her head hidden in her arms, red hair dull, limp, and tangled. Toni had to lock her knees to stop herself from running at her and scooping her into her arms and taking her far, far away from this hellhole. Veronica seemed to sense her pain and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The nun turned and left, and Toni was finally able to go to Cheryl’s side and pull her into a fierce hug. Cheryl didn’t move. “Toni?” she muttered. “No. You’re not real.” She batted her off with one hand. “Go away. No more.”

Archie and Veronica stood awkwardly in the doorway, and Toni gestured them in. Cheryl remained motionless. “C, I am real,” she said quietly, rubbing her shoulder. “We’re gonna get you out of here.”

“Please go away,” Cheryl said, sounding close to tears. “I like boys, I promise. Just please leave me alone. No more, Toni. I know you hate me. Just stop telling me, please. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t hate you, Cheryl. How could I? Remember when we saw Love, Simon together at the Bijou?” Toni said gently, stroking a hand through Cheryl’s hair. “You poured your heart out to me and, afterwards, we cried together and you bought me chili fries. We talked for hours and hours. And remember the sleepover? If nothing had happened to your nana, then we would have…” Toni took a deep breath. “I’m your friend, Cheryl, and I’m here. I’m real.”

Cheryl finally looked up, her pale face bare of makeup and streaked with tears. “R-really?” she asked, looking into Toni’s eyes. “You’re here?”

“Yeah, C. Archie and Veronica and I came just for you.” Toni gestured backwards at the other two. “Come on. We have to go, babe.” Toni stood up, and Cheryl reached for her pitifully. 

“Toni,” Veronica said frantically. “She’s coming ba-” she was cut off by the door opening and the creepy nun poking her head in. 

“Everything okay in here? Perhaps you’d all like to go for a walk in the gardens.”

Veronica, Archie, and Toni exchanged glances. “Yes,” they all said in unison.

When they got outside, Toni was supporting Cheryl, who leaned on her shoulder. Her eyes flicked around the path of bright flowering bushes warily. She was like a hollow shell of the brave, bold, cocky and perky Cheryl Bombshell.

“We’re going to have to make a run for it, guys,” whispered Veronica to them. “Can Cheryl run?”

Toni repeated the question to the red-haired girl, who shook her head slightly. “I’ll just carry her, then,” said Toni.

“Okay, go!” Veronica and Archie took off towards the bus stop. Toni quickly hefted Cheryl into her arms, who was heavier than she looked, and she clung to Toni for dear life. They heard the nuns yelling behind them, but it was too late. They had already broken the perimeter and were far away.

They had arrived at the bus stop when a thought occurred to Toni. “Guys,” she called. “When’s the next bus get here?”

Archie paled, but Veronica just smirked and waved her phone in the air. As if on cue, a black town car screeched up. The window rolled down, and an older gentleman popped his head out. “Miss Veronica! Get in quickly. There are some crazy nuns coming this way!”

Cheryl, still in Toni’s arms, made a sort of soft choking noise. Toni checked on her, concerned, but then she realized that Cheryl was laughing. That made Toni laugh, and soon, Archie and Veronica were laughing too. They all got in the car, and they sped away, leaving SOQM in the dust.

Cheryl curled up on Toni’s lap and immediately fell asleep. Toni fondly played with her hair, braiding and unbraiding it. She caught Archie and Veronica giving each other knowing glances, and her brow furrowed. “What?”

“Whipped,” Veronica stage-whispered, and Archie snickered.

“Wha-” Toni crossed her arms. “I am not.”

“Are we just pretending that the entire Vixens inner circle didn’t see you sleep in Cheryl’s bed? That we didn’t hear you two whispering and giggling like lovesick middle schoolers after you thought we were all asleep?” Veronica raised an eyebrow.

“Oooooooh,” said Archie. Toni gave his leg a brutal pinch, and he yelped.

“Maybe I like her. So what?” Toni said furiously. “Are you Northsiders so close-minded that it’s this big of a deal?”

“Puh-lease.” Veronica rolled her eyes. “Everyone does stuff like this when they find out their friend has a crush. I’m bi, one of our best friends is gay, and you really think Arch and I’d be that gross? Jesus Christ.” 

Toni responded with a small, meek “oh”.

Plus, you’d be good for Cheryl,” Archie cut in. “She’s sad and lonely, and it makes her really mean sometimes. I think you’d balance her out.”

“Like an iron fist in a velvet glove, you know?” finished Veronica.

Toni looked down at the snoozing Cheryl. “I’d like to think so, too.”

+++

Once they had arrived at Toni’s trailer, the others said goodbye and left. Toni climbed up the rickety steps, set Cheryl on the couch, and tucked her in with a ratty old throw. Her mother wouldn’t be home for a few hours, so she put two microwave dinners in to cook and began to heat water for tea. Cheryl was curled up in a ball under her blanket, making soft snuffling noises that Toni thought were absolutely adorable.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” she joked under her breath, pouring two mugs of hot water and steeping the tea bags. She pulled the noodles out of the microwave and stirred them, setting them on the counter. She looked over and noticed that Cheryl had seemingly roused herself from sleep, and was now sitting up and staring around the trailer with wide eyes. “Hey, C,” Toni called. “Want something to eat?” Cheryl nodded vigorously, reaching for the noodles. Toni smiled and handed them to her, and she began to slurp them up, ravenous.

“It’s probably been a while since you’ve had real food, huh?” said Toni, smiling slightly. “Slow down a bit there, Miss Bombshell. I don’t want you throwing up all over my house.” She held up the mug. “Tea?” Cheryl set the already half-eaten food down on the couch next to her and took it, wrapping her pale fingers around the forest green mug.

“It’s Raspberry Royale,” Toni explained. “Closest thing to cherry we had. Does cherry tea exist?” She shook her head. “Never mind.” 

Cheryl’s lips curved upward in what could be called, hesitantly, a smile. “Thank you,” she said softly. She took a sip.

Toni leaned against her counter, eating her own plate of spaghetti. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” Cheryl rubbed her forehead. “Confused. I barely remember anything from last week, except for some terrible, terrible nightmares.”

Toni sighed, relieved. “I’m glad. If it’s like any other conversion camp I’ve heard of, you probably wouldn’t want to remember.” She thought of how small Cheryl looked on that bed, how broken and devoid of light.

Cheryl took another, longer sip of her tea. “How long until Mother finds me here?” she asked, worry creeping into her voice.

Toni set her food down on the counter and crossed the floor, sitting next to Cheryl. “I’d say a day? Maybe two.” She wrapped a protective arm around Cheryl’s shoulders. “But I’m not letting you go back to her again.”

Cheryl flinched, and Toni quickly drew her hand away. “What?”

Cheryl shook her head slightly. “Nothing.” She looked over at Toni. “How are you going to keep me away from her?” She looked so hopeful.

“I dunno.” Toni shrugged. “I just know I’d do anything. Maybe I can convince my mom to adopt you.”

Cheryl chuckled. “That would be quite strange.”

Toni stood up and went back into the kitchen to throw away the garbage from the food, and Cheryl followed her, wrapping the blanket around herself. Toni laughed. “Why are you following me?”

“I didn’t… want you to leave me?” said Cheryl meekly.

“You’re so cute.” Toni hooked an arm around her neck. She saw Cheryl’s eyes flicker down to her lips, and with a spark of excitement and butterflies in her stomach she leaned in…

“No!” she shrieked, shoving Toni back. “I like boys! Stop!” She clamped her hands over her ears, and Toni stepped back in shock and held her hands up in a placating gesture.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, C. Are you okay?” Toni reached out to touch her, but drew her hand away at the last second. “Take a deep breath.”

Cheryl inhaled, then exhaled shakily. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” She blinked. “I think it might be what they did to me.” She stared Toni straight in the eye. “I need you to kiss me.”

Toni choked. “What?” She had imagined many different scenarios in which Cheryl would say those words, but none of them were like this.

“Kiss me.”

“Um.” Toni cleared her throat and leaned in, and Cheryl began to mutter “I like boys. I like boys. I like boys,” like a mantra over and over under her breath. Their lips connected, and Cheryl melted into her, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl’s waist. Toni was in heaven.

When they broke apart, Cheryl ran a hand through her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. “God.”

“Are you alright?” asked Toni uncertainly.

“Yes, I think so. It’s just that whatever they did to me… I guess whenever I think of girls, you know, like that, I get really guilty or something.” She shook her head.

Once again, Toni was filled with rage towards the awfulness that was conversion therapy. “C, baby,” she said softly, taking her hands, “you have to know that nothing you’re doing is wrong. Nothing you feel is wrong. It’s your mother and those terrible people at the clinic who are bad, not you.” Cheryl looked at her hopefully. “You are perfect the way you are. Don’t let them control you.”

Cheryl opened her arms and Toni accepted the hug, holding the redhead tightly in her arms. “Thank you, TT,” whispered Cheryl. “Thank you so much for everything.”

“Not a problem,” responded Toni, and Cheryl pressed a tentative kiss to her cheek.

Toni grinned. They would be okay. And she would never let Cheryl go again.


End file.
